Title really says most of what I want to ask. Basically, are there any pitfalls of any of these options

Seems to me that the .300 would make a better pistol round, but I have no other guns in this caliber and would have to tool up to reload for it. I am a little hesitant simply for the reloading reason since I already have a huge logistics problem keeping up with all that I already load for.

The .223 apparently is good in the pistol platform and I am already set up to load for this.

Barrel length is probably just a preference thing since the AR pistol is not a small creature regardless of which of these barrels are used.

I will NOT be suppressing the pistol no matter which one of these two rounds I use.


I was thinking about getting a pistol build kit from PSA along with a stripped lower to start with.

So , basically, I am asking for opinions of what you like and what works well. Also, thing to steer away from to keep from wasting my money.

10.5 unless you are doing suppressed...

556 unless you are doing suppressed....

subsonic...performance may go to the 300 but 556 beats 300 in standard velocity...

IMHO

I built a 11.5" pistol on a whim. Ended up carrying it during small game season last year since standard rifles are out during small game but pigs and coyotes are still on the menu. It was a nice carry rig.

It sounds like a 223 is what your leaning towards in your desire not to load a different round.

I have both 223 and 300blk.  10.5" in 223, 7.5" in 300blk.  223 is more economical to load and might make most sense to start with.

I went with a 300blk to try a different round in a AR. Easy to change to 223 by just changing the barrel...  Same mag and bolt.

You might as well start calling it (and using it) 5.56. That's the barrel you'll want to get, etc etc.

Personally, going with 300 BO is a huge decision. I'm tooled up to reload, but I don't do it if I don't have to. You're committing to paying the extra cost for ammo, so it's more than just choosing a different barrel.

If you aren't going to shoot much (like the average AR15 owner), but can admit it; then the difference between 5.56 and 300 will be small. Unless you're really cheap on ammo too (like the average AR owner again), then I'd still get 5.56.

I am thinking that it is hard to pass up an 8" pistol gas $80 .300 BO barrel.

Will I be limited to a FF rail, or is there such a thing as pistol hand guards?